Merry-go-round



May 13 1924. I 1,494,299

' W. l. WILLIAMS MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed June 24 2'122' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1WITNESSLP. ATTORNEY May 13 1924. 1,494,299

w. I. WILLIAMS MERRYGO-ROUND Filed June 24 MP2 3 Sheets-Shae 2jflfiilliama INVENTOR w TNE W n ATTORNEY May 13, 1924. 1,494,299

W. l. WILLIAMS MERRY -GOROUND Filed June 24 15192 3 Sheets-Sheet 5jzzmzziama v v INVENTOR 3 ayfleaj m ATTORNEY Y Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WESLEY I. WILLIAMS, OF CALDWELL, KANSAS.

' MERRY-GO-ROUND.

Application filed June 24, .1922. Serial No. 570,588.

Caldwell, in the county of Sumner and- State of Kansas, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Merry-Go-Rounds, of which thefollowing'is a specification.

The object of my said invention is the provision of a merry-go-roundembodying a peculiar and advantageous construction whereby childrenseated on the rotary frame of the apparatus are enabled by oscillatinglevers, one lever to each child, to rotate the rotar frame about acenter. The speed of rotation of the rotary frame is controlled by thespeed ofthe said levers, and the apparatus as a whole is adapted toafford great amusement as well as exercise to a group of children. I

To the attainment of the foregoing, the invention consists in theimprovement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification Figure1 is a top plan view of the apparatus constituting the best practicalembodiment of my invention that I have as yet devised.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same. F i ure 3 is a detailelevation of one of the c ild-operated levers of the apparatus.

Figure 4 comprises detail views of the rotary head to which the leverbars of the apparatus are connected.

Figures 5, and 6 are views of details hereinafter explicitly referredto.

Figure 7 comprises detail views of a modified rotary head.

Similar numerals designate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 6 towhich reference will first be made.

In furtherance of my invention I employ a base 1 of concrete or otherappropriate material, and on the base 1 I fix a pedestal 2 of metal, thesaid pedestal 2 carrying a central post 3 which is fixed in and to thepedestal 2 and rises therefrom as illustrated.

The upper end portion 4 of the post 3 is of angular form incross-section and is preferably stepped, the latter as indicated by 5The portion of the post 3 between the pedestal 2 and the portion 4 is ofcircular form in cross-section.

In association with the central post 3 I employ a frame that isrotatable about the.

post as a center. This rotatable frame comprises a sleeve 6, radial bars7, and stays 8. At its lower end the sleeve 6 is provided with a radialenlargement 9 in which are sockets 10. At its upper end the sleeve 6 isprovided with a cup-shaped enlargement 11, sald enlargement 11 having adrain aperture 12in its bottom. The enlargement 9 is chambered at itsunderside as indicated by 13 for the reception of an appropriate anti.-frlction equipment 14 which is interposed between the post 3 and theenlargement 9 and preferably includes an annulus 15 of felt, and feltretaining member 16. At 17 and 18 oil cups are preferably connected withthe sleeve 6 as shown in Figure 2. An anti-friction equipment 19 isarranged in a chamber of the upper enlargement 11 and is interposedbetween said enlargement 11 and the post 3. Manifestly in virtue of theconstruction described the sleeve 6 is adapted to freely turn about thepost 3. The frame bars 7 are preferably tubular and are equipped bypreference with reenforcing sections 7 riveted in the bars 7, asindicated by 20 in Figure 2. The said rivets 20 also serve to fix to andon the bars 7 standards 21 for a purpose hereinafter set forth. Theouter end portions of the frame bars 7 are directed upwardly as clearlybrought out in Figure 2, and in the said upwardly directed ends of thebars seat bases 22 are socketed and preferably connected at 23, the.said seat bases 22 being flanged at their upper ends and connected toseats 24 which are superimposed on the bases 22 as illustrated. Thestays 8 are interposed between the standards 21 and the sleeveenlargement 11 and are appropriately connected thereto as illustrated.It will also be noted that the frame bars 7 are connected to the sleeveenlargement 9 by bolts 25, though other approved connections may beemployed without involving departure from the scope of my claimedinvention. \Vhen desired the sleeve enlargement 11 may be utilized tocontain lubricant in which event the drain 12 will of course be properlyvalved. Arranged over the said sleeve enlargement 11 is an annular cap26 on which is a skirt flange 27 to surintermediate point of its lengthon each standard 21 and arranged between said standard 21 andthe'adjacent seat 24 is a lever 28. The said levers 28 are identical inconstruction and therefore a detailed description of the lever 28 shownin Figure 3 will suifice to impart a definite understanding of all. Byparticular reference to Figure 3 it will be noted that the lever 28therein shown comprises a body 29 formed of side by side portions ofmetal which portions are riveted or otherwise connected together asindicated by 30. At their upper ends the said portions 29 are providedwith offsets 31 to receive a rod 32 on which is retained tubular androtary hand grasps 33, the said hand grasps 33 being disposed atopposite sides of the offsets 31. A similar handle 34 is carried by thebody portions 29, the said handles being adapted to be used alternatelyby the same child, and being also designed for use by children ofdifferent ages and sizes. At their lower ends the body portions 29 areprovided with pendent offsets 35 which terminate at their lower ends inpedals 36, connected together by a brace bar 37. It Will also be noticedthat the said offset portions 35 are provided at intermediate points intheir lengths with pedals 38. In this connection it will be understoodthat the pedals 36 and 38 are to be used by children of different agesand sizes; it will also be understood that the levers 28 are to beoscillated through the medium of the hands and feet of children disposedin the seats 24.

Mounted on the angular upper portion 4 of the central post 3 and heldagainst rotation thereby is a cap 40 on which is a lateral arm 41 havinga socket 42. Said cap 40 is secured on the post 3 by a headed bolt 43,the shank of which is let into a threaded socket 44 in the upper end ofpost 3.

Arranged in the socket 42 of the cap arm 41 and extending outwardlytherefrom is a bar 45 on which is an upright 46 of circular form inhorizontal section.

Mounted to rotate on and about the upright 46 is a rotary head 48between which and the upright 46 is interposed an appropriateanti-friction equipment 49. It will be noticed here that theupright 46is arranged considerably ofl' the center of movement of the sleeve 6,and it will also be noticed that lever bars 50 are interposed be tweenand connected to the upper arms of the levers 28 and the head 48, theinner ends of the said lever bars 50 being arranged in sockets of thehead 48 and pivotally connected thereto at 51. When deemed expedi cut ordesirable the rotary head 48*, Figure 7, may be employed-in lieu of therotary head 48.

In the practical operation of my novel merry-go-round or amusement andexercisraagaee ing apparatus it will be manifest that when the levers 28are oscillated by children disposed in the seats 24, the rotary frame asa unit will be turned about the central post 3, this result beingbrought about by the pushing and pulling action of the bars 50 on therotary head 48. It will also be understood that the speed of rotation ofthe rotary frame may be controlled by the children through the medium ofthe levers 28 and that in addition to affording amusement andexhilaration to the children the apparatus provides exercise that willcall into play practically all of the muscles of the body.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction andrelative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and preferredembodiment of my invention in order to impart a full, clear and exactunderstanding of the said embodiment. I do not desire, however, to beunderstood as confining myself to the said specific construction andrelative arrangement of parts inasmuch as in the future practice of theinvention various changes and modifications may be made such as fallwithin the scope of my invention as defined in my appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters-Patcut, is

1. The combination in a merry-go-round, of a central fixed post, a framerotatable about said fixed post, seats carried on the outer portion ofsaid frame, levers mounted on the frame and positioned adjacent to theseats, a rotary head having a fixed center of movement off the center ofmovement of the rotary frame, and bars interposed between and connectedto the said levers and the rotary head.

2. The combination in a merry-go-round, of a central fixed post, a framerotatable about said fixed post, seats carried on the outer portion ofsaid frame, levers mounted on the frame and positioned adjacent to theseats, an upright of circular form in horizontal section arranged offthe center of movement of the rotary frame and connected with andsupported by said fixed post, a head supported by and rotatable aboutsaid upright, and bars interposed between and connected to the leversand said rotary head.

3. The combination in a merry-go-round,

v of a central fixed post, a frame rotatable about said fixed post,seats carried on the outer portion of said frame, levers mounted on theframe and positioned adjacent to the seats, a cap fixed on said fixedpost and having a lateral arm containing a socket, a bar arranged insaid socket and terminating in an upright of circular form in horizontalsection arranged off the center of movement of the rotary frame, arotary upright, and bars interposed between the levers and the rotaryhead and connected ,to

the same.

4. The combination in a merry-go-round, of a pedestal, a fixed uprightpost carried by and extending above said pedestal, a sleeve mounted onthe post, anti-friction equipments between the lower and upper portionsof the sleeve and the post, frame bars connected to and extendingradially from the lower portion of the sleeve, standards "on said bars,seats on the bars outwardly beyond said standards, levers fulcrumed onsaid standards, stays interposed between the upper portion of the sleeveand the standards, a rotary head connected with and supported by thepost and arranged off the center of movement of the frame formed by thesleeve, bars, standards and stays, and bars interposed between andconnecting the levers and the said rotary head.

5. The combination in a merry-go-round, of a pedestal, a fixed uprightpost carried by and extending above said pedestal, a sleeve mounted onthe post, anti-friction equipments between the lower and upper portionsof the sleeve and the post, frame bars connected to and extendingradially from the lower portion of the sleeve, standards on said bars,seats on the bars outwardly beyond said standards, levers fulcrumed onsaid standards, stays interposed between the upper portion of the sleeveand the standards, a rotary head connected with and supported by thepost and arranged off the center of movement of the frame formed by thesleeve, bars, standards and stays, and bars interposed between andconnecting the levers and the said rotary head; the said bars of therotary frame being tubular and being provided opposite the standardswith interior reenforcements connected with the frame bars and thestandards.

6. The combination in a merry-go-round, of a pedestal, a fixed uprightpost carried by and extending above said pedestal, a sleeve mounted onthe post, anti-friction equipments between the lower and upper portionsof the sleeve and the post, frame bars connected to and extendingradially from the lower portion of the sleeve, standards on said bars,seats on the bars outwardly beyond said standards, levers fulcrumed onsaid standards, stays interposed between the upper portion of the sleeveand the standards, a rotary head connected with and supported by thepost and arranged otf the. center of movement of the frame formed by thesleeve, bars, standards and stays, and bars interposed between andconnecting the levers and the said rotary head; the said frame barsbeing tubular and having upwardly. directed outer portions, and the saidseats being provided at their undersides with bases socketed insaidupwardly extending portions of the frame bars.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WESLEY I. WILLIAMS.

